POST CATEGORY : Information Technology

Small Business Websites Need Testimonials, But How Do They Get Them?

Function and usability are key when creating a small business website. It’s easy for a website to become cluttered and nearly impossible to navigate. Websites have elements that they need to succeed.

But which elements does every small business website need?

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Testimonials and reviews are just the start, but they can do wonders to help conversion rates and trust.

Testimonials and Reviews

Small businesses don’t have the same brand identity and trust as a multinational business. Nike, for example, is known for their high-quality shoes. The shoe company has one of the world’s most recognizable logos.

But small businesses don’t have this same luck.…

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Creating Local Landing Pages That Actually Convert

Local landing pages often lack substance. Small business owners that are accustomed to doing everything themselves take on the task of web designer and content creator too often. The trend of small business owners doing everything, from marketing to sales and making service calls is common.

Local landing page design for better conversion

But when a landing page doesn’t convert properly, this leads to lost sales – not acceptable for a growing business.

Local searches lead to 18% of consumers making purchases compared to just 7% for non-local searches. So, how do you optimize your page to convert local searches?

Cover the Basics First

The basics matter a lot, and this means doing a few different things:

  • Optimizing pages based on visitor data
  • Focusing on page loading speed
  • Add in meta data

Landing pages must be optimized for mobile.…

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It’s Time to Take Cybersecurity Personally

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) routinely delegate cybersecurity efforts to an information technology department or outside specialists. Given an SMB’s typically limited resources, method is understandable.

Cybersecurity education

However, the scope of cybersecurity threats and hacker sophistication have increased over the past several years. And that increase is forcing the evolution of an SMB’s cybersecurity function. In other words, cybersecurity isn’t just an IT issue. It’s a matter that the entire business and all its employees should address.

Cybersecurity as a Business Issue

Believe it or not, cybersecurity is a holistic issue for SMBs. To prove this, all you need to do is look at how your business is managed:

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FAQ Pages: Does a Business Site Really Need to Include FAQ Pages?

Businesses always try to keep their costs down, and one of the most common errors I see is creating a generic website. I have seen big local businesses with the worst websites I have ever seen – it’s like a look back into the 90s.

Typography is non-existent, pages aren’t responsive, and key pages are missing.

A page that a lot of business opt not to include is the frequently asked questions page, or the FAQ page.

But does this really matter all that much?

Yes.

Frequetly Asked Question (FAQ)

FAQ pages can be a very powerful tool for a business, and this tool helps in a variety of ways:

  1. Tells visitors more about your business
  2. Demonstrates your business’s expertise
  3. Lowers customer service calls and emails

Businesses make a huge mistake by not planning out their FAQ pages.…

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Typography and Your Website: 4 Tips That Make a Huge Difference in Presentation

Your website is a presentation. Communicating to visitors and readers occurs primarily through the text on your website. A website’s typography can help make the entire experience on your website fluid and enjoyable.

But incorporating typography into a website is strategic.

Typography of a business website

Information online comes in the form of text, pictures and videos. But, web design in and of itself is 95% typography. Websites that have good typography have better graphic balance, readability, usability and accessibility.

Focusing on user interface allows for a clean, easy-to-navigate website.

A few small changes can make your website go from an eyesore to an enjoyable site that offers perfect balance and functionality.…

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Top Mobile App Trends For 2018

It’s always important to stay up-to-date on current trends regardless of what business you are in, and the mobile app world is certainly no exception.

Business owner using mobile apps

Regardless of whether you are a professional developer who builds app for a living or are a small business owner who uses an app to engage with your customers, you will need to be aware of the biggest mobile app trends that exist right now.

With that said, here are the top mobile app trends for 2018:

Android Instant Apps Are Becoming Big

The first major trend is that Android Instant Apps are becoming more and more popular.…

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Your Website Needs Work. Here Are 6 Things You Can Do Tomorrow

Have you put off building your personal website for way too long?

Or do you have a half-dormant, sort-of website that you’d prefer no one you know lay eyes on?

Either way, the task before you — turning your website into something to which you proudly direct colleagues, prospective employers, and/or potential clients — is more manageable than you might think.

Website redesign

In fact, you can do these six things to improve your website tomorrow. In your spare time. Really. Let’s go!

1. Feature Your Elevator Pitch Above the Fold

Do you have an elevator pitch yet?

If not, get busy. Crafting an elevator pitch is a straightforward process, but it requires some soul-searching — and a degree of decisiveness with which you might not be comfortable.…

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When Your Small Business Should Start Using Software

As small business CEOs, we have to allocate our time and budgets very carefully. Many executives try to cut costs too much. As a result, the small business lacks the infrastructure to support processes that would unlock growth.

Businesswoman using business software

Needless to say, small businesses should continuously invest in a sound IT strategy. However, if you are still unsure of when to get started, here are warning signs that you should start implementing business software right away.

You Have Established Business Processes

Once you have establish processes for quoting clients, following up for payments or keeping up with the books, it’s time to start automating.…

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4 Ways Automation is Transforming the Business World in 2018 and Beyond

When we as business owners think about “automation,” our minds are oftentimes flooded with images of robots, complicated algorithms and concepts that simply go over our heads.

The reality? Automation is, was and will continue to dominate the realms of businesses and marketing as we know it. There’s a good chance you’re already using automation for your business already; meanwhile, the degree to which new algorithms and technologies are emerging is staggering.

Business automation trends 2018

From saving time and money to ultimately building the most efficient business possible, automation is here to stay and entrepreneurs today need to understand just how they can leverage it.…

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4 Reasons Why Every Business Should Use ID Cards

Identification badges have become an important part of the business world today, evidenced by the fact that one of the first things a new employee gets upon joining an organization is their ID badge. Employee badges help in enhancing security as well as serving to boost the integrity of an organization, working not only as a quick form of employee identification, but also helping businesses streamline their relationships.

Employee badges

Below are some ways that a business can benefit from issuing identification badges to their employees.

Prevent Security Breaches

Most employee badges have a photo and name of the owner, making it easier for the security personnel to differentiate between a visitor and an employee.…

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